Job training shifts from financial to 'green-collar'

With funding short in a down economy, a major job training provider is taking a careful look at what it can do to help those seeking work.

Paul Crocetti

With funding short in a down economy, a major job training provider is taking a careful look at what it can do to help those seeking work.

Employment and Training Resources has shifted its focus from the finance field to life sciences, said Ellie Rose, the organization's career center director. The organization's offices, located in Marlborough, Norwood and Newton, work in collaboration with the state Department of Labor and Workforce Development and the Metro South/West Employment and Training Administration.

"We really have to take a different approach than we did six months ago," when finance was in demand, Rose said. Now a lot of those jobs are lost and the organization is looking at "green-collar" employment.

It appears that President-elect Barack Obama will focus on green jobs, Rose said.

"So we have to be prepared for that," she said.

Companies such as Intel, Raytheon and Evergreen Solar are looking to beef up their engineering departments, said Susanne Morreale Leeber, president and CEO of the Marlborough Regional Chamber of Commerce.

"That would mean there is a lot of retraining going on by companies themselves to make sure (they) are hiring people with the proper skills," Leeber said.

Employment and Training Resources does not have training funds available, as it used all the funding that was not cut, Rose said.

The organization is able to provide other resources. Staff members can help with resumes, interview techniques, referrals and making connections.

Career advisers work with future employees.

"They may need a little guidance," Rose said.

The organization also holds job fairs and offers workshops for computer subjects.

Leeber thinks employees should try to train themselves before applying for jobs.

"It's expensive to retrain your employees," Leeber said. "If you show up with those skills, you're ahead of the game."

When people are eligible for training funds, they assume responsibility of visiting schools to find the right services.

"We ask people to do the research," Rose said. "We don't tell them this is where they have to go."

Recently, Rose has not seen an increase in employees seeking training.

"I think people are in a state of shock they're losing their jobs," Rose said, adding that she has seen cases of employees laid off after 30 years of work with companies.

With the new year, Rose thinks training requests will become heavier.

"I think they're trying to adjust themselves to what has happened," Rose said. "That's what we're there for - to help them through this."